The Philadelphia 76ers are currently preparing for what could be a make or break season as it pertains to the Joel Embiid era. Embiid has spent the majority of the last two years on the sidelines recovering from various injuries, and that, combined with Paul George's disastrous signing, resulted in the 76ers missing the playoffs altogether a season ago.
However, despite not being fully healthy, Embiid has apparently been putting in some work this offseason, looking much thinner in a recent photo shared on Bluesky by MrBuckBuck, earning himself the nickname “Slimbiid” in the process.
Meet SlimbiidJoel Embiid looks skinnier
— MrBuckBuck (@mrbuckbucknba.bsky.social) 2025-09-17T03:29:38.534Z
The weight loss from Embiid should theoretically give him a better chance of staying healthy this season, as he won't have as much weight to put on those knees that have failed him so many times throughout his career.
Can the 76ers compete?
The difference between the Philadelphia 76ers' potential ceiling and their potential floor may be the highest disparity in the NBA heading into this upcoming season.
This offseason, the 76ers were rewarded for their incompetence with the third overall pick, which they used to draft combo guard VJ Edgecombe out of Baylor. Edgecombe's position might make him a bit of an awkward fit with Jared McCain and Tyrese Maxey, each of whom also play a similar role on the floor. There's also the Quentin Grimes element, as the unsigned free agent also occupies a similar position, being able to handle the ball and spot up on the wing.
However, the 76ers' chances of competing rise and fall with the health of Embiid, which has been a major red flag over the last two seasons following his MVP campaign in 2023. At this point, it's hard to imagine that there is much left in the tank for Paul George, who looked like a shell of himself throughout the 2024-25 season, although if he's consistently playing alongside Embiid and Maxey, he could theoretically perform better with less of a burden to carry.
In any case, the 76ers are slated to kick off their upcoming season on October 22 on the road against the Boston Celtics.
